Connecting-rod



(No Model.)

L. H. YKENYQNl GONNECTINGROD.

NQ. 459,097. Patented Sept. 8,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

LOVELT. H. KENYON, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONNECTING-ROD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,097', dated September 8, 1891.

Application filed April 25, 1888. Serial No. 271.834. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LOWELL II. KENYON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the coun ty of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connecting-Rods; and I dodeclare the following to bea full, clear, and exact. description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, ref- -erence being had to the accom panying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

My invention relates to the class ot` steamengines known as loeomotives, and has for its object to present a greater wearing-surface to rods and crank-pins than heretofore used, and to more equally distribute the wear upon crank-pins and wearing-surface of rods than is now customary, and to avoid the use of the common knuckle-joint, which is expensive in manufacture, troublesome in use, and costly in repairs. To attain this end I use a sleeve or bushing, its internal diameter bored to slide on the crank-pin, its thickness being sufficient to resist all strain tending to close it on the pin, its outside diameter turned to receive the end of either rod, as may be desired, one with a forcing fit sut'ciently tight to hold it in its position against all strains, the end of the other rod having an easy lit on the outside of the sleeve, thus increasing` the wearing-surface three or four times that now in use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of the right-hand main and parallel rods of an eight-wheeled locomotive. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, the connection with the crank-piu oi' the main driver being in section. Fig. Sisaside elevation, and Fig. et a plan, of the front end of the parallel rod. Figs. 5 and G are similar views of the rear end of the connecting-rod. Figs. 7 and S are views of the bushing. Fig. 9 is a plan, and

Y Fig'. I0 a vertical section, of the oil-cup.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the views. V

rlhemainrodA is formed with a solid end, in which is bored a straight or slightly-tapering hole a. The parallel rod B has a fork at. the front end, in the jaws of which are bored two holes b b', the latter being somewhat smaller than the other. The back end of this rod is provided with an eye a', similar to the eye a` of the main rod. The eyes c l) b are considerably larger than the crank-pin C, as shown in Fig. 2, where a portion of the main driving-wheel, also, is shown in dotted lines. Surrounding thecrank-pin and extending substantially the whole length of it is a bushing D, which is provided on the exterior with two cylindrical end portions d d and a straight' or slightly-tapering middle portion d2, which is turned to a good forcing fit for the eye d, the other portions d d being given, respectively, an easy-working fit for the eyes l) b.

To assemble the parts the end ot' the main rod is inserted between the jaws of the fork on the parallel rod, and the bushing is then forced into place in the eye of the main rod by hydraulic or other power, being therefore rigidly secured to the rod. In the same way the bushing D for the rear crank-pin is forced into its eye a in the back end of the parallel rod. The bushings are then slipped upon their respective crank-pins and acollar or cap secured upon the end of each pin to prevent the bushings and rods from coming The pressure exerted bythe main rod is by this means distributed over the entire pin, while the wear of the parallel rod is distributed between the two surfaces (Zand CZ.

To prevent the bushings D D from working loose in their seats in the rods A and B, one or more holes F. are drilled down through the top of the rodends into the eyes a a', that receive the bushings, and in the bushingsare smaller holes di. 'lheholes E are tapped and a hollow-screw-plug F is screwed into each one, having a smooth tenonj", that fit-s into the hole d in the bushing. 'lhe head of the plug F is preferably provided with notches to facilitate its insertion or removal by means of a spanuer.

E are simple oil-holes in the forks of the rod B to oil the bearings d d. An oil-cup Gis screwed into the top of the plug F,from which oil is, fed through the ductf to the crankpin C. The bushings cannot be removed from the rods until the plugs F have been taken ont.

I have described my invention as applied to the main and parallel rods of an eight- TCO wheeled locomotive; but it is evident that it is equally applicable to moguLconsolidation, ten-wheeled, or any other class of engine, and that it dispenses with the expensive knucklejoint now in use in the classes named. Furthermore, the improved bearing can be used on parallel rods only, or on one Crank-pin only, if desired, the others being fitted with the ordinary strap and brasses, or any other suitable bearing. lThe position of the parts, moreover, may be reversed-that is, the fork may be on either of the rods.

The advantages of my invention have been set forth in part above, but in addition it should be stated that the crankpin is not subjected to any shearing strain, and the bearing upon it is about twice as long as in the usual construction. The bushings last much longer and there is less danger of cutting and heating. The parallel rod s brought into line with the main rod, giving a direct pull.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure'by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a rod having au eye a, of a forked end containing the cylindrical eyes b b,and a bushing D, having the cylindrical end portions d d and the middle portion d2, fitting the eye a, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the rod having an eye and a hole E, of the bushing D, inserted in the eye and provided with a hole d3, the hollow screw-plug F, having atenon f, entering the hole cl3, and an oil-cup G, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereot` I affix my signatn re in presence ot' two witnesses. Y Y

LOVELL H. KENYON.

XVitnesses:

L. H. KENYoN, Jr. F; R. KENYoN. 

